Battery connector structures for electronic devices

ABSTRACT

A portable computer is provided that has a housing. A removable battery may provide power to the portable computer. A connector on the battery may mate with a corresponding battery connector in the portable computer housing. The battery connector may be mounted in the portable computer housing using a floating arrangement. This allows the position of the connector to move slightly to accommodate variations in the position of the battery. A cable may be used to route power between the battery and a main logic board. A cover may be used to hold the battery connector and cable to the housing of the portable computer without excessively impeding movement of the connector.

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent applicationNo. 61/105,030, filed Oct. 13, 2008, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to electronic devices and, more particularly, tobattery connector structures for electronic devices such as portablecomputers.

Electronic devices such as portable computers are powered by batteries.Some electronic devices use permanently attached batteries. This type ofarrangement is satisfactory for devices where the additional cost, size,and complexity associated with a removable battery is not warranted. Inother electronic devices, however, removable batteries are used.

In devices such as portable computers with removable batteries, asatisfactory battery connector arrangement is required. Batteryconnector arrangements allow spare batteries to be used when a batterybecomes depleted.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved batteryconnector structures for electronic devices such as portable computers.

SUMMARY

Improved battery connector structures for electronic devices such asportable computers are provided. A portable computer may be powered by abattery. The battery may have electrical contacts. The electricalcontacts may be used for positive and ground power supply voltages andfor monitoring signals. A battery connector on the battery may be usedto form an electrical connection with a mating battery connector in theportable computer. The battery connector in the portable computer may beattached to the end of a cable. The other end of the cable may beconnected to a logic board.

To accommodate battery size variations and various methods of insertion,the portable computer battery connector may be connected to the portablecomputer using a floating battery connector mounting structure. Thisfloating arrangement may allow the battery connector in the portablecomputer to move slightly when inserting the battery into the portablecomputer.

Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantageswill be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the followingdetailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative portable computer inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of an illustrative battery connector that may beused in a portable computer in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an illustrative battery connector thatmay be used in a portable computer in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an illustrative cover member that may beused in securing a battery connector in a portable computer inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an illustrative batteryconnector in a portable computer in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to battery connector structures. Thebattery connector structures may be used to interconnect batteries withelectronic components in an electronic device that require power. Forexample, a battery connector may be used to interconnect a rechargeablebattery with circuitry on a main logic board in an electronic device.The circuitry on the main logic board may distribute battery power toelectrical components within the electronic device such a disk drives,processors, memory, input-output circuitry, displays, etc.

The electronic device in which the battery connector structures areprovided may be a handheld computer, a miniature or wearable device, aportable computer, a desktop computer, a mobile telephone, a musicplayer, a remote control, a global positioning system device, devicesthat combine the functions of one or more of these devices and othersuitable devices, or any other electronic device. With one suitablearrangement, which is sometimes described herein as an example, theelectronic devices in which the battery connector structures areprovided may be portable computers such as laptop (notebook) computers.This is, however, merely illustrative. Battery connector structures may,in general, be provided in any suitable electronic device.

An illustrative electronic device such as a portable computer in whichthe battery connector structures may be provided is shown in FIG. 1. Asshown in FIG. 1, portable computer 10 may have a housing 12. Housing 12,which is sometimes referred to as a case, may be formed from one or moreindividual structures. For example, housing 12 may have a mainstructural support member that is formed from a solid block of machinedaluminum or other suitable metal. One or more additional structures maybe connected to the housing 12. These structures may include, forexample, internal frame members, external coverings such as sheets ofmetal, etc. Housing 12 and its associated components may, in general, beformed from any suitable materials such as such as plastic, ceramics,metal, glass, etc. An advantage of forming housing 12 at least partlyfrom metal is that metal is durable and attractive in appearance. Metalssuch as aluminum may be anodized to form an insulating oxide coating.

Case 12 may have an upper portion 26 and a lower portion 28. Lowerportion 28 may be referred to as the base or main unit of computer 10and may contain components such as a hard disk drive, battery, and mainlogic board. Upper portion 26, which is sometimes referred to as a coveror lid, may rotate relative to lower portion 28 about rotational axis16. Portion 18 of computer 10 may contain a hinge and associated clutchstructures and is sometimes referred to as a clutch barrel.

Lower housing portion 28 may have a slot such as slot 22 through whichoptical disks may be loaded into an optical disk drive. Lower housingportion may also have a touchpad such as touchpad 24 and may have keys20. If desired, additional components may be mounted to upper and lowerhousing portions 26 and 28. For example, upper and lower housingportions 26 and 28 may have ports to which cables can be connected(e.g., universal serial bus ports, an Ethernet port, a Firewire port,audio jacks, card slots, etc.). Buttons and other controls may also bemounted to housing 12.

If desired, upper and lower housing portions 26 and 28 may havetransparent windows through which light may be emitted (e.g., fromlight-emitting diodes). This type of arrangement may be used, forexample, to display status information to a user. Openings may also beformed in the surface of upper and lower housing portions to allow soundto pass through the walls of housing 12. For example, openings may beformed for microphone and speaker ports. With one illustrativearrangement, speaker openings such as speaker openings 30 may be formedin lower housing portion 28 by creating an array of small openings(perforations) in the surface of housing 12.

A display such as display 14 may be mounted within upper housing portion26. Display 14 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD),organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, or plasma display (asexamples). A glass panel may be mounted in front of display 14. Theglass panel may help add structural integrity to computer 10. Forexample, the glass panel may make upper housing portion 26 more rigidand may protect display 14 from damage due to contact with keys or otherstructures.

Computer 10 may have input-output components such as touch pad 24. Touchpad 24 may include a touch sensitive surface that allows a user ofcomputer 10 to control computer 10 using touch-based commands(gestures). A portion of touchpad 24 may be depressed by the user whenthe user desires to “click” on a displayed item on screen 14.

When unplugged from alternating current (AC) power sources, computer 10may be powered by a battery. To allow a battery that has become depletedto be replaced with a fresh battery, computer 10 may be provided with abattery connector that mates with a corresponding connector on eachbattery. When desired, a battery may be inserted into device 10 byforming an electrical connection between the battery connector on thebattery and the battery connector in computer 10.

The battery connectors may have electrical contacts. These contacts maybe used to convey power. For example, a connector may have one contactthat serves as a positive power supply voltage terminal and anothercontact that serves as a ground power supply voltage terminal. Ifdesired, additional contacts may be included in the connector. Forexample, additional contacts may be provided that serve as battery cellmonitoring tap points. The voltages on these battery cell tap points maybe monitored by control circuitry in computer 10.

The battery connector in computer 10 may be connected to circuitry incomputer 10 using a cable or other suitable electrical path. The cablemay have a connector on one end that allows the cable to be connected toa printed circuit board such as a main logic board. The other end of thecable may be provided with a battery connector for receiving thecorresponding battery connector on the battery.

An illustrative cable of this type is shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG.2, battery cable 32 may have a first connector such as connector 34 thatplugs into a mating connector on a printed circuit board. Wires 36 orother suitable electrical paths in cable 32 may be used to electricallyconnect connector 34 to a second connector such as battery connector 40.Connector 40 may have contacts that are configured to mate withcorresponding contacts on a battery.

Connector 40 may have a support member such as member 52 that includeschannels 42. Wires 36 may be routed through channels 42 and soldered tocorresponding electrical contacts. Low current contacts may be connectedto single corresponding wires 36. Higher current contacts such as thepositive and ground terminals in connector 40 may be associated withmultiple wires. For example, the three uppermost channels 42 in FIG. 2may be used to route three corresponding wires 36 to a positive powersupply voltage terminal and the three lowermost channels 42 may be usedto route three other wires 36 to a ground power supply voltage terminal.Channels 42 that lie between the channels that are associated with thepositive and ground power terminals may be used for routing wires 36 tolower current battery monitoring tap point electrodes.

Wires 36 in cable 32 may be wrapped with a wrap material 38. Wrap 38 maybe a fabric (e.g., a synthetic fabric) or any other suitable material.

Cable 32 may be mounted within lower housing portion 28 of computer 10.Lower housing portion 28 may be formed from aluminum or other suitablematerials. In the illustration of FIG. 2, cable 32 is shown from itsunderside (i.e., i.e., looking outwardly from within housing portion 28in computer 10 to view the bottom portion of cable 32 that normallyrests against housing 28). To prevent undesirable shorting contactbetween the metal of wires 36 and metal in housing portion 28, aninsulating layer such as insulator 44 may be mounted to the underside ofmember 52 and connector 40. Insulating layer 44 may serve as a spacerthat raises connector 40 off of the surface of housing portion 28 andthereby helps to prevent shorting. Insulating layer 44 may be formedfrom plastic or any other suitable dielectric.

A perspective view of cable 32 is shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3,wires 36 may be soldered to electrical contacts such as contacts 48.There may be any suitable number of contacts 48 in connector 40. As anexample, there may be five contacts 48. Contacts 48 may be mountedwithin protruding portion 50 of support member 52. Planar basestructures 46 may be used to support protruding portion 50. Structures50 and 52 may be formed from plastic or other suitable materials. In thevicinity of connector 34, wires 36 may have a bend. This bend may allowwires 36 to be routed under housing structures such as a midwall memberin housing portion 28.

To secure cable 32 within housing portion 28 while allowing connector 40to float and thereby accommodate various possible battery positions,cable 32 may be held in place using a cover member. An illustrativecover member is shown in FIG. 4. In the example of FIG. 4, cover member64 is shown in an inverted orientation. The upper surface of covermember 64 in FIG. 4 is normally placed directly against wrap 38 of cable32 (FIG. 3).

As shown in FIG. 4, cover member 64 may have an opening 54 through whichprotruding portion 50 of connector 40 may pass when cover 64 is used tomount cable 32 to housing portion 28. Opening 54 may be rectangular inshape or may have any other suitable shape that accommodates connector40.

Holes 62 in cover 64 may be used to receive screws. The screws may bescrewed into mating threaded portions of lower housing portion 28 whenit is desired to fasten cover 64 to housing portion 28. This is merelyillustrative. If desired, other attachment mechanisms may be used. Forexample, a strip of adhesive such as adhesive strip 58 may be used toattach cover 64 to housing portion 28. Cover 64 may be provided withholes 56. Holes 56 (i.e., perforations) may be provided oversubstantially all of cover 64. Perforations 56 may provide an attractiveappearance for cover 64 and may save weight. Cover 64 may be formed fromsheet metal such as a 0.5 mm thick sheet of aluminum or other suitablematerials. Holes 56 may be formed in cover 64 by punching, mechanicaldrilling, laser drilling, etc. After holes 56 have been formed, cover 64may be provided with a desired three-dimensional shape using a stampingprocess. For example, cover 64 may be provided with protruding edges 74.Edges 74 help to hold the main surface of cover 64 off of the planarsurface of lower housing portion 28, thereby allowing wrap 38 and therest of cable 32 to float relative to housing portion 28. Opening 60 inedges 74 may be used to allow cable 32 to exit from under cover 64.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an interior portion ofcomputer 10 showing how connector 40 may be mounted to lower housingportion 28 using cover 64. Battery 66 may have a connector 68 that mateswith connector 40. Opening 54 in cover 64 may be large enough to allowconnector 40 to translate somewhat in lateral dimensions X and Y (i.e.,in the plane of the inner surface of housing 28). This allows connector40 to move to accommodate variations in the position of connector 68. Inthe vertical (“Z”) dimension (i.e., perpendicular to the plane of thehousing surface), the planar portions of cover 64 are preferably raisedsufficiently off of housing portion 28 so that wrap 38 and the otherportions of cable 32 are not held firmly in place. This clearance in thevertical dimension between cover 64 and cable 32 helps reduce frictionin the X and Y dimensions and thereby ensures a satisfactory float inthe position of connector 40. At the same time, there is preferably nottoo much clearance in dimension Z, so that connector 40 is maintained atits desired position on housing portion 28.

As shown in FIG. 5, computer 10 may have housing structures such asmidwall member 72. Wires 36 of cable 32 (FIG. 3) may be routed undermidwall 72 and connected to printed circuit board 70 using connector 34.

The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this inventionand various modifications can be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

1. A battery connector structure for an electronic device having ahousing, comprising: a cable; and a cover mounted to the housing thatcovers the cable while allowing the cable to float with respect to thehousing.
 2. The battery connector structure defined in claim 1 furthercomprising a battery connector attached to the cable.
 3. The batteryconnector structure defined in claim 1 wherein the cover comprises asheet of material having a plurality of perforations.
 4. The batteryconnector structure defined in claim 1 wherein the cover comprises ametal sheet and wherein there are perforations over substantially all ofthe metal sheet.
 5. The battery connector structure defined in claim 1wherein the cover comprises a sheet of material having an opening,wherein the cable has a battery connector, and wherein the batteryconnector protrudes through the opening when the cover is mounted to thehousing.
 6. The battery connector structure defined in claim 5 whereinthe battery connector has lateral dimensions and wherein the opening isconfigured to have lateral dimensions that are larger than the lateraldimensions of the battery connector so that the battery connectortranslates laterally to accommodate variations in connector position. 7.The battery connector structure defined in claim 6 wherein the cover ismounted to the housing on a planar surface of the housing, wherein thebattery connector has a vertical dimension perpendicular to the planarsurface, and wherein the cover has a vertical dimension that is greaterthan the battery connector vertical dimension so that the batteryconnector translates laterally to accommodate variations in connectorposition.
 8. A portable computer, comprising: a housing; a printedcircuit board having circuitry; a cable connected on one end to theprinted circuit board; a battery connector on another end of the cable;and a cover with which the cable and battery connector are mounted to aplanar inner surface of the housing.
 9. The portable computer defined inclaim 8 wherein the cover comprises a metal sheet that coverssubstantially all of the cable.
 10. The portable computer defined inclaim 8 wherein the cover comprises a sheet of material having edgesthat are attached to the planar inner surface.
 11. The portable computerdefined in claim 10 wherein the cover comprises a metal sheet having anarray of at least ten holes.
 12. The portable computer defined in claim8 further comprising a midwall member under which the cable is routed.13. The portable computer defined in claim 8 wherein the cover isconfigured to provide clearance that allows the cable to move relativeto the cover and the housing when the cover is mounted to the planarinner surface.
 14. The portable computer defined in claim 8 whereinportions of the cover are configured to define an opening through whichthe battery connector protrudes and connects to a battery.
 15. Theportable computer defined in claim 14 wherein the opening issubstantially rectangular and wherein the portions of the cover arefurther configured to define screw holes at either end of therectangular opening.
 16. An electronic device, comprising: a housing;circuitry on a printed circuit board mounted within the housing; wiresconnected to the circuitry; a battery connector that is attached to thewires; a battery with a connector that mates with the battery connectorattached to the wires; and a planar cover that is attached to thehousing and that holds the wires to a planar inner surface of thehousing.
 17. The electronic device defined in claim 16, wherein theplanar cover has an opening through which the battery connectorprotrudes, wherein the planar cover is configured to provide clearancethat allows the wires and the battery connector that is attached to thewires to move when the connector of the battery mates with the batteryconnector attached to the wires.
 18. The electronic device defined inclaim 16 wherein the planar cover comprises a sheet of material and astrip of adhesive interposed between the sheet of material and theplanar inner surface.
 19. The electronic device defined in claim 16wherein the planar cover has a portion that defines an opening betweenthe planar cover and the housing when the planar cover is attached tothe housing, wherein the wires pass through the opening between theplanar cover and the housing.
 20. The electronic device defined in claim19 wherein the planar cover comprises a sheet of material and a strip ofadhesive interposed between the sheet of material and the planar innersurface and wherein the planar cover comprises a rectangular openingthrough which the battery connector protrudes to mate with the battery.